Stabilized spring group for railway car truck



Aug. 9, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMS STABILIZED SPRING GROUP FOR RAILWAY CARTRUCK Filed Feb. 21, 1968 v 3 sheets Sheet 1 INVENTOR: RAY C. WIL MS g-1960 R. c. WILLIAMS 2,948,528

STABILIZED SPRING GROUP FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed Feb. 21, 1958SSheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

RAY 0, WILLIAMS :5 She ets-Sheet s Aug. 9, 1960 R. c. WILLIAMSSTABILIZED SPRING GROUP FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed Feb. 21. 1958 UnitedStates Patfif STABILIZED SPRING GROUP FOR RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Ray C.Williams, Chicago, 111., assignor to Standard Car }ruck Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of New ersey Filed Feb. 21, 1958, Ser. No.716,712

3 Claims. (Cl. 269-9) The present invention relates to an improvedspring group and stabilizer assembly for railway car trucks andcomprises a composite assembly of load springs and cooperating frictionstabilizing mechanism including a pair of friction shoes which haveloose floating engagement with an upper spring follower and which arenormally urged outwardly against a pair of cooperating wear plates by asingle stabilizer spring with constant spring pressure.

The objects of the invention are manifold and, principal among them isthe provision of a stabilizer vunit for railway car trucks havingassociated therewith the usual load springs, together with stabilizingmechanism in the form of a pair of friction shoes and cooperating wearplates therefor wherein the friction shoes are provided with a commonstabilizing spring by means of which they are urged into frictionalcontact with their respective wear plates with equal pressure, at alltimes, such pressure being obtained without the use of wedges orinclined planes, thus obviating the tendency inherent in conventionalstabilizer units for the friction shoes to bind unduly against the wearplates with which they are associated when the stabilizer springs arecompressed beyond a predetermined degree.

' Another object of the invention is to provide, a-stabilizer unit ofthis character wherein the friction shoes associated therewith areindependent of the top follower plate and have sliding contact with thelatter so that the normal fore and aft or lateral shifting movement ofthe top follower plate will not be'imparted to the friction shoes onwhich it rests, thereby leaving the friction shoes free for their normalcooperation withtheir respective wear plates, whereby there will be norocking or tilting of the shoes during any irregularities in the motionof the top follower. In other words, it is an object of the invention toprovide a stabilizer uni-t wherein any irregular motion of the topfollower will exert no stresses on the friction shoes associatedtherewith, whereas the friction pressure will remain constant regardlessof such motion. 7

' Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide astabilizer unit including a bottom follower having means associatedtherewith for supporting a pair of wear plates in vertically disposedspaced relationship, and a top follower having means associatedtherewith for supporting an expansible friction shoe assembly thereon,the expansible friction shoe assembly being designed for telescopicreception between the two opposed wear plates on the bottom follower,together with means provided on the opposed wear plates whereby theexpansible friction shoe assembly may automatically be initiallycompressed and guided into its telescopic relation between the opposedwear plates by the simple expedient of moving the two followers intovertical register witheach other and thereafter applying downwardpressure to the top follower to force the expansible friction shoeassembly into the confines provided for it by the opposed wear plates.

Patented Aug. 9, 1960 Numerous other objects and advantages of theinvention, not at this time enumerated, will become more readilyapparent as the following description ensues.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification apreferred embodiment of the invention has been shown.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially centrallythrough a spring group stabilizer unit constructed in accordance withthe principles of the present invention and showing the same operativelyapplied between the bolster of a railway car truck side frame.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig.l.

Fig. 3'is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the manner inwhich the stabilizer unit is assembled to support a railway car bolster.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the improved spring groupstabilizer unit of the present invention is designated in its entiretyat 10 and is shown in the drawings as being operatively installedbeneath a truck bolster 11 which extends transversely between the sideframes (see Figs. 1 and 4) of a railway car truck, the bolster extendinginto the usual bolster openings 59 on opposite sides of the truck.

The stabilizer unit 10 involves in its general organization a topfollower 12 and a bottom follower 13, between which followers there areinterposed a series of composite load spring assemblies, each of whichhas been designated in its entirety at 14. The top and bot-tom followers12 and 13 respectively are generally of square configuration inhorizontal plan elevation and one of the composite spring assemblies 14is arranged adjacent each corner of the unit while the two remainingassemblies 14 are disposed on opposite sides of the unit in the medialregions thereof and assume positions which are interposed between theadjacent pairs of units and which are offset slightly inwardly towardeach other out of alignment with the adjacent pairs. The top and bottomfollowers 12 and 13 respectively constitute upper and lower springplates and each is provided with marginal retaining flanges 15 to retainthe coiled load spring groups 14 in position between the plates andprevent displacement thereof. The composite spring assemblies 14 aresubstantially identical in construction and each comprises a pair ofnested helical springs including a relatively heavy outer spring 16 anda lighterconcentric inner helical spring 17.

The lower follower or spring plate 13 is in the form of a casting ofshallow tray-like design from which there extends upwardly in the medialregions thereof a generally rectangular wall 20' (see particularlyFig. 1) including relatively long upstanding side walls 21 andrelatively short upstanding end walls 22. The side walls 21 are bowedinwardly in the medial regions thereof as at .23 (Fig. 2) to afford aclearance for the inner side portions of the two medial springassemblies 14. The four walls, 21, 22, form in effect a generallyrectangular box-like open-top casing in which there is adapted to bereceived an expansible friction shoe assembly designated in its entiretyat 24, the nature and function of which will be set forth presently.Each end wall 22 of the upstanding wall structure 20 has secured to theinner face thereof a wear plate 25 which is secured to the inner facethereof by means of a nut and bolt assembly 26, the bolt being providedwith a tapered head 27 which is counter-sunk in the plate 25. Theextreme lower ends of the wear plate 25 normally rest on a shelf (seeFig. 4) which is part of wall 22,f-but may be attached tothe bottoinfollower 13 by means of frangible reinforcing Fl g"; t g l welds 28which serve to augment the clamping action of the nut and bolt assembly27 and assist in maintaining the wear plate 25 in position on the insidesurfaces of the end .Walls 22. The welds 28 are capable of being brokenafter the nut and bolt assembly 27 have been removed, thus facilitatingreplacement of worn wear plates. The upper edges of the wear plates 25are flared outwardly as at 2-9, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, forpurposes that will be made clear presently.

An end of the bolster is adapted to rest upon the top follower 12 in theusual manner of supporting such bolster. The upstanding circular boss 3%provides a hexagonal socket 32 which serves to confine the bolt head ofa nut and bolt assembly '33, the function of which will be describedpresently.

The friction shoe assembly 24 includes a pair of friction shoes proper40 and '41, the two shoes being substantially identical in configurationbut being disposed oppositely in the assembled friction shoe structure.Each shoe is in the form of a generally cup-shape shell or castingincluding a vertical wall 42 having an outside friction surface 43thereon designed for frictional sliding engagement with a cooperatingfriction surface 44 provided on each of the wear plates 25. The upperedge of the wall 42 merges with an inturned flange portion 45, the twoflange portions 45 of the friction shoes 40 and 41 respectively beingslidably held against the de pressed medial region 46 of the topfollower 12 by a bowed leaf spring 56. A pair of side Webs 47 extendingbetween the vertical wall 42 and inturned flange portion 45 serve toreinforce these latter flange portions.

As best seen in Fig. 1, the two friction shoes 41 are disposed in backto back relationship within the assembly 24, which is to say that theiroperative friction surfaces 43 face outwardly away from each other andare confined between the opposed wear surfaces 44 of the wear plates 25.The two shoes 40 and 41 are yieldingly spread apart, which is to saythey are urged outwardly in opposite directions away from each other, bymeans of a spring 48,.the opposite ends of which are centered on theinside faces of the vertical walls 42 of the shoes by means of inwardlyextending bosses 49 which project into the spring and which are providedwith central bores 59 therethrough and through which bores thereslidably extends a tie rod 51. The tie rod 51 is provided with anenlarged hexagonal head 52 at one end thereof which is located withinhexagonal socket 53 provided in one of the bosses 4%. The other end ofthe tie rod 51 is threaded as at 54 and threadedly receives thereon anut 55 which is similarly located in the hexagonal socket 53 of theopposed boss 49.

The friction shoe assembly 24, including the two friction shoes proper4t} and 41, the spring 48, and the tie rod assembly 51, is adapted to beloosely and slidably secured to the underneath face of the depressedportion 46 of the top follower 12 by means of said bowed leaf spring 56the ends of which bears as at 57 against the underneath faces of theinturned flange portions. 45 of the shoes 40 and 41, the leaf springbeing centered upon the previously mentioned nut and bolt assembly 33with the nut which is associated with such assemblies serving to dra vthe leaf spring 56 upwardly and create a limited amount of pressurebetween the leaf spring and the inturned flanges 45 at the previouslydesignated regions 57.

The central regions of the spring 55 may be clamped against a dependingcircular boss 58- which surrounds the bolt assembly 33 and which isformed on the depressed region 46 of the top follower 12.

To assemble the composite friction shoe device 24, the two frictionshoes proper 4t) and 41 are positioned in their back-to-backrelationship with the spreader spring 48 interposed therebetween andcentered on the two bosses 49. The tie rod 51 is then inserted throughthe 2,948,528 t v V" bores provided in the bosses 49 and the head 52 ofthe tie rod is pushed into the hexagonal socket 53 associated with theshoe 41. The friction shoes 40 and 41 are then moved toward each other,thus compressing the spring 48 to such a degree that the threaded end 54of the tie rod 51 will project outwardly beyond the outer frictionsurface 43 of the shoe 40 so that the nut may bd partially threaded ontothe threaded portion 54 and spring 48 is relieved so that the assemblywill expand and allow the nut 55 to be pulled into the hexagonal socket53 whereupon the shoes 40 and 41 will be urged outwardly to the extentaiforded by the pre-determined distance betwen tie-rod head and nut,with the head and nut locked against turning by reason of their closefit in the hexagonal sockets 53.

The composite friction shoe unit 24 may be applied to the underneathside of the top follower 12 by inserting the bolt portion of the nut andbolt assembly 33 through the central opening 56 and thereafterinstalling the leaf spring 56 and tightening the same against the boss58 so that the ends of the leaf spring bear against the underneath facesof the inturned flange portions 45 of the friction shoes 40- and 41respectively.

The manner in which the friction shoe assembly 24 is brought within theconfines of and inserted into the rectangular wall structure 20 isillustrated in Fig. 4. It is to be noted that the outer lower edges ofthe vertical walls 42 of the friction shoes 4t and 41 are chamfered asat 6t) and these chamfered edges are adapted to register with mating camsurfaces 61 provided on the inclined upper edge portion 29 of the wearplates 25, which are attached to the end walls 22 of the rectangularwall structure 20 when the friction shoe assembly 24 is at its fullyexpanded position and when it is superimposed over the wall structure inthe manner indicated in Fig. 4. A preferred method is to set the loadsprings in position in the bottom follower. Then bring the top followerassembly into po sition over the bottom follower assembly. Applypressure by any convenient means to cause the friction shoe assembly 24to enter between the wear plates 25 until the top follower 12 touchesthe tops of the load springs. The total assembly will now hold itselftogether and is ready to be slid into the side frame bolster Window,under the upraised bolster. The bolster is then lowered into operatligeposition on the spring group and stabilizer assembly In the operation ofthe stabilizer unit 10, the extent to which the friction shoe assembly24moves downwardly into the confines of the wall structure 20 isobviously a function of the load applied to the assembly by the bolster11. The various load spring assemblies 14 will function in the normalmanner of such load springs to assimilate the load and when the railwaycar is in a position of rest, the load will be balanced by the loadspring assemblies and the friction shoe assembly 24 will seek a normallevel within the confines of the wall structure 2t) commensurate withthe applied load. During travel of the railway car along a roadbed,relative movement between the top and bottom followers or spring plates12 and 13 respectively will be resisted by the snubbmg action of the twofriction shoes 40 and 41 acting on the wear plates 25 under theinfluence of the spring 48. Since the co-engaged wear surfaces 43 and 44of the shoes and wear plates respectively cooperate in a vertical plane,the outward force exerted by the spring 48 on the two friction shoes 40and 41 against the wear plates 25 will remain constant in any givenposition of theassembly 24 within the wall structure 26.

I claim:

1. A spring group stabilizer unit for supporting an end of a truckbolster within a bolster window of a truck slde frame, the said unitcomprising a bottom follower adapted to be carried by the frame at alocation within said window and provided with opposed friction walls, aplurality of load springs seated on the bottom follower,

a top follower provided with a bottom face seated on the load springs, apair of oppositely facing friction shoes positioned between saidfriction walls and each presenting a friction surface to one of saidfriction walls, means for resiliently clamping both of said shoes to thebottom face of the top follower with capacity for sliding movementthereon, and a helical stabilizer spring common to and interposed undercompression between said friction shoes and serving to yieldingly urgesaid shoes against said opposed friction walls to damp the oscillationsof said load springs.

2. A spring group stabilizer unit according to claim 1 wherein each ofsaid friction shoes includes a flat top plate portion for bearingagainst the bottom face ofthe top follower and a vertical face portionconnected to the top plate portion along contiguous edges thereof andwherein the means for resiliently clamping said shoes to the topfollower is a leaf spring carried by the top fol lower.

3. A spring group stabilizer unit according to claim 2 wherein inwardlyprojecting rigidifying webs extend along and connect the lateralmarginal portions of the top plate of each shoe with the vertical faceportion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,185,434 Peycke May 30, 1916' 2,206,487 OConnor July 2, 1940 2,379,626Cottrell July 3, 1945 2,670,949 Dentler Mar. 2, 1954 2,734,741 BlattnerFeb. 14, 1956 2,797,914 Barber July 2, 1957 2,826,406 Kowalik Mar. 11,1958

